How Electric Bikes Work
There is often a throttle on the handlebars that when turned sends a signal to the controller, which is a little box of electronics that distributes the power from the battery to the motor. This controller makes riding the bike a smooth experience rather than just switching the power on and off like a light bulb.
Riding an electric bike without a controller would be like driving a car that the only way to control it was to have it flat out or nothing at all.
All wires on an electric bike go to the controller then from it to where the power is needed - at the motor. I mentioned earlier the throttle; throttle is another word for a switch. On the handlebars, unless you have a bike that is controlled by pedelec only, there is normally either a motorcycle-type twist throttle that springs to the off position when released and is variable, and is twisted right back for full power. Alternatively sometimes there is a thumb throttle that does the same thing but instead of twisting your hand to make it go, you just push a spring loaded lever with your thumb and release it when you don't need power. This kind of throttle is simpler to use than the twist type - maybe for someone that has never used a motorcycle throttle before, but users have been Known to get an aching thumb on longer journeys. Either type of throttle become intuitive after a short time.
Electric bikes use different battery technologies, and the price of the bike normally reflects the weight of the battery pack. The idea with electric bikes is that you charge the battery up when you are not using the bike. Normally the battery can be removed from the bike and charged from domestic electricity or via a solar panel or wind generator set-up. Depending on the battery and the charger type the time it takes to charge them fully generally ranges from 4 to 8 hours. if you are using your bike for work maybe a charge up during the day can replenish your battery for the journey home.
